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Amongst other things, this is a love story.... the theme changes occasionally... this year it is fitness and learning to love yourself.

2 April 2013

B is for Balance - A-Z word challenge - words of change

balance |ˈbaləns|
noun
1. an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady



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- You need skill to centre yourself and achieve perfect balance, but nothing much happens there. Too still, too perfect and you're in the dead zone. Imbalance, only one slight movement away. It's more fun to reach high, but you will need support, a counter balance. The beauty of balance is in the movement, the balancing act. Relaxed and efficient. Still and moving. Just like a see-saw but without the hippo on it.

If I was to pick my Balance card today, I would use it to remind me to do balance based activities like a yoga, pilates, or stretching videos - or waterskiing -  If I had a boat and the fjord wasn't frozen.

If my reflexology clients chose Balance, I would tell them, that I just wrote a blog about balance and they should read it! Then I'd take care to balance all of their systems, find the pulsing points and wait for their rhythms to change. I'd do lots of rocking movements and make sure I did both feet exactly the same.

Some other thoughts on Balance:

- Even after a rough start, only a swinging pendulum is truly balanced - or it ceases to function.

- Comedy is a balance act between tragedy and timing, but the goal is always therapeutic.

- Balance your health with the seven natural doctors - Sunshine, fresh air, water, nutritious food, laughter and movement. Whether you are trying to balance a bank account, or the demands of everyday living remember to balance your life with things that are important to you, nurture yourself with natural doctors  -or  at least  give your feet a soak in a foot bath - add some salts, herbs/spices or lemons, aromatherapy oils, or just a nice smelling soap - now :)

For basic lessons in balance observe nature.

Are you prepared to be your own counterbalance?


B Cn u at C

41 comments :

  1. Hello from the Challenge! Interesting post! I danced ballet for 13 years growing up, so my first thought about balance went to that. But I really like how you expand the idea. Right now I'm in grad school, and I'm always stressed and frustrated and depressed and miserable, so balance is something I should probably keep in mind! It's such a simple thing, but one that's easy to forget.

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    1. This challenge gives us so many rewards, as soon as I read ballet and dance in your first line I really wished I had written more about it, hopefully anybody who reads this see's your comment and the first line is dance and it will reach someone. - It's the little things that make all the difference. When times get tough, I make it a practice to really focus on my first three thoughts when I wake up. The first one is - where am I? - the 2nd is a flash of memories of who I am or what i do (it's not always real - it's what we tell ourselves) - and the third is when you start to become conscious - the most important - the one you are in complete control of - I try to remember to say, today everything I do will be handled with ease. It makes even dealing with shitty stuff like exams, broken down cars, no money - Easier.

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  2. I need to find more of my own counterbalance. Interesting perspective.

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    1. i think it's one of the hardest things to do... connecting with your true desires and nature helps a lot.

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  3. Wonderful advice. I needed to stop and think about balance in my life right now. Thanks so much!

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    1. Hi Heidi, for some reason I cringed when I read the word advice, and then I remembered all the people who told me giving advice is a bad thing - that people need to make their own choices... Reading your comment makes me feel happy that you are grateful for my advice, which are just my thoughts and a collection of memories. Thank you

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  4. This is lovely. I do enjoy yoga, for the peace and the way it stretches and strengthens my body. I enjoy the way you write and share. I am definitely seeking balance right now.

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse

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    1. Hi Shannon. I just started doing the 5 Tibetan Rites again recently, and I don't do enough Yoga etc... but i love the way it makes me feel too. Your post on Amelia Earheart was the last one I read last nightI was cross eyed by then. I love her. I was sure I commented but I can't see it now - I'm looking forward to your B post

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  5. What great advice, Ida. I'm so glad I found your site. I work hard trying to balance a writing life with exercise and outdoor activity. That foot bath sounds heavenly!

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    1. Foot baths are heavenly - they always seem like too much effort until you finally get your feet in one. I like to have a kettle and a jar of cold water close by - so I can adjust the temperature and stay in it as long as possible.

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    1. Thanks Laura. I never planned for it to be that way :)

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  7. Hi Ida, liked how you mentioned comedy is a balance act. I do believe in the power of good humor in life. It's great you are already on 2nd letter of the challenge. I need to start on my "B".

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    1. I think I should have written balancing act or act of balance - instead of balance act - oh well. Your A post on Aum is a more complex version of the same principle - I look forward to your B post

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  8. I think that many people miss exactly what you point out, balance doesn't mean standing still.

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  9. We are balanced eaters, but my life's schedule is often chaos. Fortunately, that has become the balance over time as I've learned to make it work for me.

    I saw your comment about helping me - thank you! It involves visiting a section of 15-20 blogs on the list just once a week for the month to confirm they are posting. If you could do that, I would be really grateful.

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    1. what a perfect real life example of the swinging pendulum. Happy to help :)

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  10. ooooh...this is a lovely reminder of the true nature of balance...it isn't a stillness but an ever-shifting process...recalibrating, rethinking, realigning...

    beautiful, thank you.
    xoxo

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  11. We do stretching before every class and recently the instructors have been shifting from the stagnant stretches to the dynamic movements ones because of just this issue. Physics teaches us that we achieve balance by having equal and opposing movement- the right leg swings back at the same speed that the left leg swings forward. It’s a nice reminder for life, too- balance the serious with the light-hearted, the hard work with the easy relaxation.

    Thanks for the lovely reminder of this necessity, Ida!

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    1. day and night - sunshine and rain. *goes off to google dynamic stretching* :)

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  12. I need to find a balance when it comes to reading, writing and blogging!

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    1. I hear ya loud and clear - but I've decided May will be good time to focus more on it (as well as a little everyday - had a nice walk yesterday that helped) I have resigned myself to the fact that April is going to be little crazy :)

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  13. Life is indeed about balance. I balance whether I walk a short distance or a long based on how many of knee exercises I do. I try to balance sitting here on the compute with movement. Too much of either is bad for my arthritis.

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    1. Too much of either is bad for every one of us, sounds like you're better at this than I am. I wish I would walk myself as often as I used to walk my beloved dog.

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  14. I used to struggle with work-life balance until I changed my job. After that, everything else seemed to balance better too, including health, exercise and diet. I haven't tried yoga yet, but have been looking into it recently.
    Great post!
    -Kirsten
    (Just Ermie & Short Story Ideas)

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    1. There are plenty of great youtube clips - search full sessions - I have couple favourited if you need a link - I agree the wrong job (or any job at all - for some people) is a hippo sitting on you! (refer pic at top of post :)

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  15. Ah, something I can never get right. Meanwhile, I let my Cerebellum take care of the physical part of it. ;)

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    1. we are our own worst enemies - I wish my cerebellum knew how to do that :)

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  16. I constantly find myself striving for a dynamic sense of balance and counterbalance. I think the act of working at it has allowed me to move forward from places where I could definitely stagnate and become unbalanced.

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    1. constant movement - or working at it - good on you

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  17. I love your post about balance. Especially your point about counterbalances!

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    1. Thank you - I liked the concept of counter balance when it finally came to me after the 3rd draft :)

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    2. Do you have comments on your blog disabled? I couldn't see/find a link -

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  18. Dude, this post made me think, which I generally try to avoid as it's exhausting. But yes, we must counterbalance ourselves. Indeed. I'm still trying to figure out how, though taking the hint from what you mentioned, yoga seems a fine way to start. It's been on the back of my (relatively dusty) mind to take up yoga; this reminder to balance is timely, for me. Thanks.

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    1. I'v just started moving a bit more again - I like The five tibetan rites - short sweet and effective - it starts with spinning around in circles which is always a bit of fun google it for some vidoes - I've never really been a fan of large group sessions

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  19. Ida- awesome post! I love the concepts of balance you've presented, especially the comment about the balance between comedy and tragedy. I look forward to following your A to Z journey :)

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    1. Likewise randi lee - even the country music song bits :) - I might even join the Insecure writers group - I have it bookmarked but right now the end of April seems to be a far away land.

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  20. My idea of peace and quiet, of relaxation, is being out on a rock face somewhere....

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    1. I'm happy just to close my eyes and put my hands on my chest, or over my eyes for a few minutes, but I've been know to some rock hopping from time to time too :)

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Enjoy